A second straight loss would only help New Orleans in one place that matters right now: the draft board. If the Saints keep sliding, the reward could be a much better pick and a chance to attack a roster that still has holes all over it. At No. 7, two names stand out as premium defensive targets.
One of them is South Carolina EDGE Dylan Stewart, though the conversation around him starts with something other than his tape. South Carolina has had a bad season, and the team has suspended Stewart.
The source material says he has yelled at coaches and refused to get off the field. Before the season, that wasn’t viewed as an issue, although it may have been happening behind closed doors.
The situation is messy enough that no one really knows whether Stewart will enter the draft or where he might land, but the talent is still easy to see.
And the talent is loud. Stewart is described as one of the most athletic pass rushers in college football, a player who can explode off the line, beat tackles cleanly, and run away from plenty of blockers once he gets moving.
The upside is enormous, with the possibility that he could become the best edge rusher in the NFL. His floor is considered strong, too, which only makes the ceiling more tempting.
For New Orleans, the character questions could be enough to push him off the board, but the kind of ability he brings might force a rethink. Put him opposite Chase Young, and the Saints’ pass rush would look dramatically different.
The other option is Ole Miss defensive tackle Will Echoles, and this is the cleaner fit if New Orleans decides to stay on the defensive line but shift inside. Entering the season, Echoles was not supposed to be the top defensive tackle in the class.
Now he has played his way into that discussion. He brings value as both a pass rusher and a run defender, can drive offensive linemen back into the quarterback’s lap with his strength, and has enough moves to slip past blockers rather than just power through them.
That matters for a Saints front that still needs help. Against the Falcons, the current state of the interior was on display.
Vernon Broughton can rush the passer but has issues against the run. Davon Godchaux’s time in New Orleans should be over after this season.
The team also does not have a starter for the other 3-4 DE spot. There is hope that Christen Miller can start getting reps in Godchaux’s place because the Saints need to develop him, and maybe Bryan Bresee returns healthy and ready.
Even so, this group still needs a high-end addition.
Echoles would change the look of that unit in a hurry. If New Orleans can’t land a top-tier edge rusher in this class, the argument here is simple: take the defensive tackle, then circle back to a pass rusher later.
In Other News...
Saints Suddenly Have A Tyler Shough Problem They Can't Ignore
Tyler Shoughs latest outing underscored just how fragile the Saints offense can look when the pocket collapses around him. In the loss to Atlanta, New Orleans never gave its quarterback much breathing room, and the protection issues were especially noticeable on the left side, where David Edwards and Asim Richards had trouble holding up in pass sets. Even so, Shough still managed to throw for 286 yards and a touchdown, a reminder that the production has been there in spurts even when the environment around him has not.
The bigger concern is what comes next for a quarterback already dealing with a left-hand injury that has left him limited in Wednesday walkthroughs. The Saints need more than survival-level protection if they want Shough to stay functional and the offense to avoid stalling out again, especially after a game in which the pressure never really let up. For a team trying to sort out its identity, the line play and Shoughs health now feel too connected to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Mourn Mike Ditka As Team Reflects On Memorable Run
Mike Ditka, the former Saints head coach and Hall of Fame figure best known to most football fans for guiding the 1985 Chicago Bears, has died at 86. ESPN senior NFL insider Adam Schefter reported the news after Ditkas family announced it, and the Saints responded with a statement mourning his passing and acknowledging what he meant to the franchise and the league.
For New Orleans, Ditkas time on the sideline was brief, but it remains part of the teams long memory because of the outsized reputation he brought with him. The Saints statement reflected the respect that still followed him through the game, a reminder that even a short run in New Orleans can linger when the coach attached to it carried so much history. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Suddenly Have One Reason For Optimism Before Vikings Game
New Orleans got a better injury report Thursday than it has seen in a while, with several key names back on the practice field as the Saints try to steady themselves before facing the Vikings. Tyler Shough was a full participant after the left-hand injury he picked up against Atlanta, while Alvin Kamara, Chris Olave and Barion Brown all returned in some fashion, giving the team a little more life heading into a week that had been trending the wrong way.
The bigger significance is not just who practiced, but who did so with enough progress to keep the door open for Sunday. Kamara and Olave both got back to limited work after dealing with their own absences and restrictions earlier in the week, which matters for a New Orleans offense that has been searching for any kind of momentum. The Saints still have work to do, but for one day at least, the injury picture looked less bleak. [Read more 🡒]